In an earlier post, I talked about a Kenyan bank that began operations in South Sudan in 2006. At the time, the country was just emerging from the war, and no bank operated in the country. The perspective of making profits in South Sudan was in the distant horizon for the Kenyan bank. But the management team […]
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Drivers of African Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship in Africa is in the spotlight these days. Obama’s participation at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Nairobi last weekend brought it to the forefront. I could feel the buzz when I travelled to Nairobi last month. The city was getting ready for the Presidential visit. The GES provides an opportunity for emerging entrepreneurs […]
Africa Powering Ahead
In the middle of the Lagos heat, I said to a colleague: “I feel very fortunate to have air conditioning, there are so many people here who just have to bear this heat, that I feel bad about it”. Half-joking, he answered, “On the other hand, everybody has a heater!” Not that Lagos is sunny, […]
Nairobi: Upcoming African Transport Hub
I left Nairobi on Saturday. The airport surprised me with several improvements since last year. It has better organized control posts to enter the airport area, a world-class extension to Terminal 1, more eating facilities, etc. Security controls are extensive: I went through 3 screenings! Clearly, they don’t want to take risks. Who knows if […]
Sub-Saharan Africa: A Road Map to Opportunity
This week I’m writing from Nairobi. It’s been a bit less than a year since I left, and I needed to get my “shot of Africa.” I arrived early on Sunday morning, and I could soon hear familiar song from a nearby church. Singing and dancing is an important part of African cultures (note the […]
